ppear attractive; love at only a material level. Jody told her to dress up and stand in thestore all that evening...and he didnt mean for nobody elses wife to rank with her. (p.41)Joe also suppresses Janie, both as a woman and a human being, and sets a limit on herself-fulfillment, treating her more like an object than a woman. He lumps women in withmere things: Somebody got to think for women and chilun and chickens and cows.(p.71) All in all, throughout her marriage she learns that wealth does not bring happiness.Finally realizing that she is only another possession of Joe Starks, she says, You donelived wid me for twenty years and you dont half know me atall. And you could have butyou was so busy worshippin de works of yo own hands, and cuffin folks around in theirminds till you didnt see uh whole heap uh things yuh could have.(p.86) After Joe dies,she also concludes that she had been missing something in her life, and realizes the nextman she meets is perfect for her. Janies development as a woman becomes complete afterliving and learning with Vergible Tea Cake Woods.Tea Cake catalyzes the final stage of development of Janie as a woman. From TeaCake, Janie learns to love and what it feels like to be loved. He represents everything Janiehas ever wanted in a marriage:She couldnt make him look like any other man to her. He looked like the love thoughtsto be crushing scent out of the world with his footsteps. Crushing aromatic herbs withevery step he took. Spice hung about him. He was a glance from God. (p.106)Tea Cake not only encourages her growth to independence, but contributes to it byteaching her skills such as hunting and checkers, while at the same time, praising her forher talents. He further proves this by taking her fishing, hunting, dancing, and gardeningwith her. For a while, Janie and Tea Cake even work the fields together. For the first timein her life, Janie enjoys life because she experiences what it feels to be loved. ...
